[Nancy]

Z,

Yes, Michio smokes, last I heard, and Michio is getting up in years. On the West Coast, or among any of the macrobiotic aquaintances I know of, very few smoke, drink coffee, or alcohol. Yet good organic brands of beer and wine are allowable on the macrobiotic diet. People who have difficulty with these freedoms, do not seem well versed in the tools of yin and yang. Thus if they were to indulge, they would not know how to balance it. In the case of Michio, I believe he began smoking when smoking was promoted (even in the movies) in advertising, and a well accepted part of life. Soldiers were given packs and packs of cigarettes while enlisted.

Gradually the dangers of smoking became more and more apparent, and recently smokers have become more ostracized in many environments. Smokers have to leave the restaurant entirely and smoke outside. No more "smoking sections".

Second hand smoke is quite deadly and quite unfair. A child in the home of heavy smokers can get cancer from second hand smoke. Happened to someone I knew.

When smoking is an entrenched lifetime habit, there are those who will not be able to quit and those who will not have the desire to quit. No one in macrobiotics promotes smoking. If so, I would like to see the evidence.

It would be ideal to have all macro teachers exemplify a perfect macrobiotic lifestyle. I agree that a huffing and puffing and coughing macrobiotic teacher is not a very good role model for whereof he speaks. All should take seriously their responsibility as a role model. I think we have to chalk up these lapses as human imperfection and weakness.

We all can relate to that.

Nancy